Lincoln Cathedral of St Mary

2467 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

5/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

2014

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Husband

Reasons for trip

You can admire and photograph the cathedral for the west end of the nave. Those wanting to explore further have to pay an entrance fee. This includes free ground and roof tours. I signed myself up for both.

The ground tour was excellent and we had an enthusiastic guide. We began by overing some of the early history of Lincoln and why the cathedral was built here. This was followed by a brief history of the cathedral – essential to the understanding of the architecture. We then walked around the cathedral stopping to admire some of the special things about it. The guide talked and answered questions. This is no set spiel but flows with the interests of the group. We debated the falling down of the centre spire in 1549 and light heartedly if this was God’s response to the publication of the first book of AnglicanPrayer.

The tour is scheduled to take an hour we were still going strong after we reluctantly concluded after 90minutes. Even then we had hardly begun to scratch the surface of all there is to see and learn about the cathedral.

We were lucky as it was a small group that morning, only ten people. There is no number limit on the tour so the experience may not be the same if there is a very large group.

I picked up a wealth of information about the Cathedral and much I would have missed if looking round by myself. I know know what those unusual barred and shuttered windows at the back of the nave outside the shop are. They are Dole Windows. Pilgrims to the shrine of St Hugh could get food and drink here. Look closely at the stone screen across the chancel. The small figures carved on the pillars were decapitated by the Puritans. The heads on them were carefully recarved by the Victorians. Unfortunately they added bishops heads. Looking at the posture of the statues and their dress, they are more likely to be female saints.

Allow yourselves time to do this tour. It is well worth it.

For more information about the cathedral, I have written two reviews covering the history, architecture and visiting and another giving a description of the inside. I have also written a separate review of the Roof Tour.

Silver Travel Advisor

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.